America Canâ€™t Win In Afghanistan

By: Ken Hughes

Afghanistan is little more than a spot on a Rand McNally World Map. Itâ€™s a region occupied by many tribal groupâ€™s ruled by War Lords and Muslim Clerics. Alexander the Great first invaded Afghanistan in 300 bc, thereâ€™ve been dozens of countries that have invaded since with little or no luck. The only thing Afghanistan offered any of the invaders was access to the Khyber Pass, 33 miles of trails that wound its way through the mountains and made it possible for the trade caravans to cross and reach India and China from the west. As other means of transportation became available the Khyber Pass became less important to international trade. It became a symbol of the military supremacy and stupidity for both its captors and its defenders. To day thereâ€™s no reason for foreign troops to occupy Afghanistan. To assume a position of nation building and enforce a democratic style government on the Afghans is foolish. The only thing Afghan tribes have in common is their distain for outsiders and anyone not in the extended family is considered an outsider.

George Bush repeatedly said the only reason to be in Afghanistan was to stop a group of terrorist from terrorizing the civilized world. NATO troops were there to contain Al Qaeda and the Taliban. George Bush drew a line in the sand in Afghanistan and Iraq rather than New York and Kansas. Bush repeatedly said the war on terror would be a long war perhaps for as long as 100 years, he was under no elusions it was going to have a quick solution. Bush knew terrorists attacks would be with us for years to come, containing the terrorists within specific areas was the best way to fight the war on terror and save this country experiencing another 9/11.

Media hype created the illusion America was involved in Afghanistan to create a democracy that was never the original goal. It may have been secondary and went uncontested to add reason to a civilian population back home who didnâ€™t grasp the threat of terrorism. But the war on terror was just that a war meant to destroy or contain a world wide terroristâ€™s origination.

America has only fought three wars that adversely effected the civilian population aside from the pain of losing loved ones or seeing them maimed for life in some ways our wars have been somewhat passive, The War of Independence, the American Civil War and World War Two the public was asked to sacrifice, those wars were brought home in many ways. The other wars were simply media bylines we could accept or ignore as we chose. Most of the hype came from those who couldnâ€™t see the dangers in what the wars were about, and the politicians who couldnâ€™t see when the cause had lost its meaning and werenâ€™t willing to move on.

Afghanistan has lost its meaning. As far as an international threat Al Qaeda has lost its power and as for the Taliban its only interest is recapturing power in the Afghan government. Bushâ€™s goals have been achieved so why is Obama expanding the war and even threatening areas of Pakistan with military action. Could it be because deep inside of Obama his first religion Islam is still his passion? Thereâ€™s no need for Osama and his followers to try to destroy America when Obama is managing to do it without firing a shot. Bush is gone for all political purposes there is no more Bush, Yet for every failure of the Obama administration thereâ€™s the Bush [did it tagline] attached. From this we can only surmise Obama wasnâ€™t ready for prime time nor were his advisors. They act like a bunch of farts on roller-skates blindly trying to find their way in the dark, thereâ€™s something they donâ€™t understand and thatâ€™s managing a government. As Dick Morris is quoted as sayingâ€¦[paraphrased.] Obamaâ€™s handlers knew how to sell a robot they donâ€™t understand how to make one function properly.

The American government is unique in that itâ€™s literally impossible for one person to assume they can be in total charge. It takes a balance of congress both right and the left to achieve what the founding father knew would be essential to make America what it was until the last election. For one political party to have the majority of control and be able to shut out the other party is disastrous for the people. Congress and the executive branch should be in balance with the views of the public. One party rule canâ€™t accomplish that given the arrogance of power that exists in government service.

In the ten years Iâ€™ve been writing political commentary Barack Obama is perhaps the most difficult to critique, its not that he doesnâ€™t provide enough information itâ€™s that he provides too much. When Iâ€™ve almost finished an article Obama changes directions, denies his original claims and sets off in an entirely new path. The Obama that was elected president in November 2008 is no more. The Obama that took the oath of office in January 2009 is no more. The Obama who promised our health care wouldnâ€™t change and that any new government health care would be considerably cheaper is no more. The Obama who promised to get the troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq seems to have gone missing.

In only a few hours the sun will come up, I need to close this article and wait for Obamaâ€™s new changes the I can start all over again. Obama is a writerâ€™s worst nightmare, within hours he makes liars out of all of us who arenâ€™t attached to his posterior.